Greg Dugal, director of Government Affairs for HospitalityMaine, says additional H-2B visas will help the state’s hospitality industry cope with the ongoing worker shortage. “Even though the increase of the cap does not meet the need, it is a doubling over last year and will be incredibly helpful for Maine businesses in 2019,” he said.

On Friday, Maine Public Utilities Commission staff issued a 162-page Examiners’ Report recommending approval of Central Maine Power’s 145-mile transmission line New England Clean Energy Connect project. That review focused on public interest and public benefit standards. Reviews this week by Maine Department of Environmental Protection and the Maine Land Use Planning Commission will look more closely at environmental and land use issues.

Governor Mills reappointed Jason A. Oney of Falmouth, Morten Arntzen of Norwalk, Connecticut and Arthur K. Watson, Jr. of New Canaan, Connecticut. Governor Mills also nominated Mary O. Shea of Brownfield as Student Trustee.

Members of the Waterfront Working Group give the highest priority to spending as much as $600,000 of the project.

Under questioning from Maine Sen. Angus King during his confirmation hearing to become secretary of the interior, David Bernhardt allayed concerns about the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument’s status.

The staff of Maine’s utilities regulatory commission recommended on Friday that Central Maine Power’s controversial $1 billion proposal to deliver Quebec hydropower to Massachusetts through a western Maine corridor be approved.

Downtown Waterville’s free wifi, which launched in August, has served more than 124,000 users in seven months.

A court decision affirming that the so-called “intertidal zone” is part of privately held shorefront landownership, rather than public property, could hamper the commercial rockweed industry along Maine’s coast.

The list, released Wednesday by the nonprofit trade group, puts Gorham-based Lone Pine Brewing, in the No. 5 spot, and Westbrook-based Mast Landing Brewing Co. as No. 24.

Governor Janet Mills announced today that she has nominated six people to the University of Maine and the Maine Community College System Boards of Trustees.

A small, new Maine State Police motorcycle unit that began with an “out of nowhere” request from former Gov. Paul LePage nearly a year ago will be rolled out formally in April.

Proposals to allow Maine cities and towns to enshrine local-option sales taxes have momentum in 2019, but they’re facing the same problems that have stopped them in the past amid opposition from business groups and some progressives.

Droves of Mainers are expected to testify today about a controversial bill that would give MaineCare recipients access to state-funded abortion services, and force insurance providers to include abortions in their coverage for maternity services.

Governor Janet Mills signed emergency legislation today to allow the production and sale of food additives and food products that contain hemp or hemp products in Maine.

Maine’s governor has signed a bill designed to make clear that production and sale of hemp-derived food products are allowable in the state.

Founded in 1985, the Lewiston company is owned and managed by father-and-son team Stanley and Zak Sclar. It employs 320 people in nine stores, including seven Food City stores in Maine, Vermont and Massachusetts, and two Save-A-Lots in Maine.

State Rep. Seth Berry, D-Bowdoinham, said the Maine Public Utilities Commission should focus closely on the question of whether the proposed $1.3 billion acquisition of Emera Maine by Calgary-based ENMAX Corp. will truly benefit the utility’s 159,000 customers. Berry is the House chairman of the Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee.

Sales of single-family existing houses in Maine eased slightly from the same time last year, while prices this February were 2.85% higher than February 2018.

Halifax-based Emera Inc. announced today it has agreed to sell its interest in Emera Maine to ENMAX Corp. for $1.3 billion in U.S. currency, a purchase price that includes $959 million in shares and approximately $341 million in assumed debt.